Machine for making battery-separators and the like



H. U. CAMM MACHINE FOR MAKING BATTERY SEPARATORS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26.1919.

,1 64,244. Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

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MACHINE FOR MAKING BATTERY SEPARATORS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25MI919.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921. V 1

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INVENTOR. .HOI'EZCQ O. Cry/11207 @Qxmw ATTORNEY UNITED STATES HORACE O. GAMM, 0F BAY POINT, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR MAKING BATTERY-SEPARATORS AND THE-LIKE.

Application filed June 26, 1919.

T 0 all 10 ham it may concern.

Be it known that I, HORACE CAMM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bay Point, in the county of Contra Costa, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Making Battery-Separators .and the like; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in making wooden battery separators such as are almost universally used in electric storage batteries such as are a part of the equipment of automobiles, etc.

These separators are in the form of strips of very thin wood having grooves or rabbets running lengthwise thereof, and as the manufacturers specifications allow only a few tenthousandths of an inch variation in the thickness of stock and depth of grooves in the finished product, it is evident that great care must be exercised in making the same in order that they shall be up to standard and not thrown back on the makers hands.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a single machine by means of which the entire process of making the separators from the rough board to the finished product may be had with one operation, thus reducing the initial investment in machinery, and eliminating the need of a number of skilled attendants.

My improved method consists essentially of first cutting the grooves or rabbets for the separators, and then immediately or simultaneously cutting the rabbeted strips from the rough board to the exact required thick ness all at one operation and in the same machine.

By this means the maximum possible number of separator strips is obtained from a single board, as nothing is wasted therein but the dust taken from the thickness of the saw cuts, and the fine shavings made by the groove cutting knives, and also the possibility of such knives splitting the boards is eliminated, for when the knives are cutting the grooves, the strips are still integral with the heavy rough board.

A further object of my invention is to produce a simple and relatively inexpensive device for carrying out the making of bat Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Serial No. 306,962.

tery separators by my improved method, and one which will be exceedingly efficient for the purpose for which it is, designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

On the drawings, similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my complete machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section taken on a line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section showing a fence adjusting means.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section through a flexible pressure-bar connection.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a saw guide.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a side head, with the knives attached thereto.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective elevation of a finished separator, the same being substantially drawn full-size.

Referring now more particularly to the numerals of reference on the drawings, the numeral 1 denotes the frame of the machine, on one end of which are mounted vertical feed rollers 2, adjustable for spacing therebetween, and being of the same general type and design and operated in the same manner as similar feed rollers found on various wood-working machines. I will therefore not enter into a more detailed description of the same.

Immediately forward of the feed rollers and positioned in parallel alinement with one pair or set of the same are fences 3, suitably spaced apart lengthwise thereof, and between which and mounted on a power driven shaft 4 is a side head 5 on which is mounted for horizontal and vertical adjustment the cutters 6 having a. plurality of spaced and sharp edges 7 projecting somewhat beyond the plane of the head 5. These edges or knives cut the grooves in the separators, which as before stated, are held within very close limits of variation. As the depth of the grooves cut depends on the dis tance these knives project beyond the plane of the edges of the fences 3, it is extremely essential that these fences shall be capable of extremely accurate adjustment relative to the knives on the cutter head 5.

For this purpose I have provided for each fence a pedestal member 8 sli'dable on the frame 1 transversely thereof, such slidable movement being controlled by means of an adjusting screw means such as is shown at 9.

Mounted to the pedestal for sliding movement relative thereto in a horizontal direction is a plate 10, adapted to be clamped to the member 8 by a screw 11. Into the plate 10 at the four corners thereof are screwed hollow bolts 12, whose inner ends are adapted to abut against the fence plate 3, the fence being held to the plate 10 by means of cap screws13 extending through the hollow bolts 12 and screwed into the member 3. Thus by means of these adjustment features, and especially of the latter, the fences 3 may be adjusted so as to be perfectly true with each other both vertically and horizontally, and also allow the knives 7 to project therebeyond the required distance.

Substantially opposite from the fences 3 and spaced a certain distance therefrom are pressure plates 14 flexibly mounted to pressure bars 15 on vertical pins 16, such plates being allowed a certain amount of play in a horizontal direction relative to the bars 15, such movement being limited and controlled by adjusting screws 17 mounted to the plates 14; and projecting toward the bars 15. These bars are slidably mounted in supports or pedestals 18 extending transversely of the frame 1, and which are in turn slidably mounted thereon for horizontal transverse movement. Such movement is adjusted by means of a screw adjusting means such a 19. By this means the plates 14 may be positioned as close to or as far away from the fences 3 as may be desirable.

Coiled springs 20 are wound around the bars 15, and tend to push the same and the plates 14: thereon in the direction of the fences 3. This tendency is controlled by means of nuts 21 on the bars 15 which abut against the upstanding lugs 18 of the member 18, and against which one end of the springs press.

Mounted directly above the fence 3 and plates 14 .and centrally in the space therebetween is a spring pressed guide roller 22, suitably mounted in a hanger 23 and positioned at a point just beyond the feed rollers 2.

Mounted to the frame 1 forward of the fences 3 and side head 5 is a circular saw 2 1,

an extent such that the distance between the adjacent faces of the saw and the fence will be exactly the required thickness for a separator. Here again the adjustment features of the fences come into play, although the saw is also preferably capable of a slight amount of transverse adjustment, and it is absolutely essential that the saw shall be spaced exactly the'right distance from the fences and that they shall be in exact parallel planes.

As the saw is somewhat thin, and is required to cut through a thickness of board of approximately six inches, it develops a tendency to warp and run out of true. To obviate this, I have provided a guide hanger 26 mounted to the frame 1, and having a pair of arms 27 depending downwardly therefrom and adapted to straddle the saw. Bosses 28 are on the lower ends of these arms, in which bosses are clamped sleeves 29 having hardwood pins 30 removably held therein. These sleeves and the pins therein may be so adjusted that the pins will just about touch the saw, and will hold the same true with the board which it is cutting.

Hardwood pins 31 are screwed into the frame 1 and abut against the saw on either side thereof just below the plane of cutting thereof, for the same purpose.

The saw of course is driven by some such means as an electric motor through the medium of the pulley 32, the power from which may be also extended to drive the feed rollers 2, as by the pulley and belt mechanism 33, and similarly the side head 5 may be driven from the same source of power, or there may be a separate motor therefor.

A platform 34 is of course positioned under the feed rollers 2 and on which the lumber or board being handled is adapted to rest while being fed through the machine, this platform, or a portion of the frame 1 on the same level thereas, extending under the fences and beyond the saw.

The operation of the device, which shows the method I employ, is as follows A board of any suitablclength and thickness is fed through the reed rollers 2, the pressure bars and plates being of course ad justed for the thickness of the board being handled so that the board will be squeezed between the first fence and pressure plate opposite when the end of the board enters the path of the knives of the side head 5. Thus one side of the board, which in the initial operation or handling thereof must be smooth planed, is firmly held against the fences while the knives cut the grooves therein, as exemplified in the sample or specimen of the finished strip as shown at35 in Fig. 7. As the board advances, the pressure of the pressure bars and plates thereagainst increases, owing to the fact that such plates are positioned so that the spacing from the fence is narrowed down as the saw is approached, so that when the saw cuts into the already grooved board, the grooved face of the same will be held against the fence so 1 see-p.44

tightly that the right thickness to be cut off by the saw will be absolutely assured. As the strip 36, which is then the finished product, is cut off from the main board, it passes into the plane of the hub 25 of the saw, and is turned to one side to be removed from the machine, the bending thus given it doing no harm as the strip is so thin. This allows the thick board still remaining to pass in a straight line behind the saw. When one length of the board has been taken 05, it is again placed through the rolls, and the operation repeated, the only adjustments necessary being a slight movement toward the fences of the pressure bar pedestals, to allow for the reduced thickness of the board being handled.

It it not necessary to plane the sawed edge or faces of the board, either on the removed strip or on the new face being presented to the fences, as l have found from experimentation that the surface. had by using a saw of the right type is sufliciently smooth to meet all requirements of the battery manufacturers.

While I have particularly described my method and the machine used therewith as being used especially to make battery separators, it is evident that the same idea and machine can be adapted to out any very thin material where it is desired to have one face of the same with a very smooth or patterned finish, as in veneer work, cigar box boards, and the like.

From the foregoing specification it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred embodiment of my device, still in practice such deviation from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A machine for cutting relatively thin grooved boards comprising a rotary grooving and facing cutter, rigid fences on each side of said cutter and adjustable relative to the plane of the cutting edge thereof, a relatively large vertical circular saw mounted forward of the cutter head and spaced laterally therefrom, means for feeding a board horizontally into the plane of the cutter head and saw, and flexible fences mounted opposite the rigid fences and converging toward the saw and adapted to press the board firmly against the rigid fences.

2. A machine for cutting relatively thin grooved boards comprising a rotary grooving and facing cutter, rigid fences on each side of said cutter and adjustable relative to the plane of the cutting edge thereof, a relatively large vertical circular saw mounted forward of the cutter head and spaced laterally therefrom, means for feeding a board horizontally into the plane of the cutter head and saw, spring pressed flexible fences mounted opposite the rigid fences and converging toward the saw and adapted to press the board firmly against the rigid fences, and means for altering the angle of convergence of the flexible fences.

A machine for cutting relatively thin grooved boards comprising a rotary grooving and facing cutter, rigid fences on each side of said cutter and adjustable relative to the plane of the cutting edge thereof, a relatively large vertical circular saw mounted forward of the cutter head and spaced laterally therefrom means for feeding a board horizontally into the plane of the cutter head and saw, spring pressed flexible fences mounted opposite. the rigid fences and converging toward the saw and adapted to press the board firmly against the rigid fences, and means for adjusting the spacing of said flexible fences from the rigid fences.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HORACE O. CAMM.

Witnesses BERNARD PRIVAT, VERADINE WVARNER. 

